Japan approves record defence spending

Japan’s Cabinet approved a record defence Budget of just over 5 trillion yen ($42.5 billion) for the year starting April, as tensions with China simmer over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The figure marks the fifth straight rise in annual military spending — a trend that started after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in late 2012. Separately, an extra spending package approved for the current financial year included 171 million yen for defence, with the focus on ballistic missile defence as fears grow over North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities. 

Here are the main points of the two spending packages, which must be now passed by Parliament:

— New submarine model with improved sensor capability to be developed at a cost of 72.8 billion yen; Japan to expand its fleet to 22 submarines from 16

— Japan to budget for a further six Lockheed-Martin F-35 fighter aircraft at a cost of 88 billion yen; F-35 squadron to be established at Misawa, northern Japan

— 14.7 billion yen budgeted for procurement of new ship-based ballistic missile interceptors known as SM-3 Block II A

— Coast guard budget for next year will rise by 12% to 211 billion yen, of which about 48 billion yen is to be allocated for new ships

— Defence allocation in third extra budget for current financial year to be 171 billion yen, of which 33 billion yen will be spent on upgrading ballistic missile defence